Brokkr

I think this is why they usually go after the people distributing the data for copywriter infringement, and not the people who use the data.

It may not be stealing, but it definitely is copywriter infringement.

The question is moot from both sides of the deal, but understanding why is important.

For something like a game, you will only ever pay approximately what you think a game is “worth”. How you determine that value is entirely up to you and should be based on your own opinions and beliefs. Therefore, if you derive value from supporting niche developers, that’s great for you and you should continue to do so as you wish. If you don’t value that quite as much, then wait for a sale price that does.

Your individual decisions will not affect the decisions of publishers and developers.

Their decisions will take into account the total profit that they think a game can provide over its lifetime. This is determined by the initial price and sales as well as future discount prices and sales. The way they estimate the potential profit of a new project is based on past data. If they see most of their sales at launch time, they will price the game accordingly. If they see more revenue over time from sales, then they will price the game accordingly. As long as they continue to hit those goals, then they will continue making products for those audiences.

Therefore, the best way to support the projects you like is to buy the game when the price justifies the value to you. That is buy it whenever you want. The only way to not support (I am purposefully avoiding the word hurt) the publisher and developer is to pirate the games.

Yeah, I have to take breaks sometimes and be in the right mood. I find that I like to play more when I’m going through a boring patch at work and I need something mentally stimulating.

Everything except the losing interest part is what people love about factory games. So while they have your interest, realize that you are absolutely playing them “correctly”. But if you don’t like iterating your designs (not everyone does, and that’s OK), then these are probably not the right genre for you.

Unfortunately, this is one of those fun ideas that simply won’t ever be possible. Even if we start with the easy one of just breaking chemical bonds, those bonds exist because it reduces the total energy of the system.

To “disrupt” those bonds, energy must be supplied, and to do it for even a small amount of material would require a tremendous amount of energy. Delivering that much energy over a distance just isn’t possible because atmosphere in between would also be “disrupted”. The disrupted material would also fly apart at high speeds and high temperatures. So any type of “ray” or “gun” would just turn into a bomb with a pistol grip trigger. I expect that the user experience testing would have lots of very negative reviews.

A fistfull of dollars

Are you completing them quickly and correctly? If you are, that might be the issue.

Try making mistakes and then undoing them, as if you mis-clicked.

It also has a much larger potential audience; wider age range and interested peoples.

I haven’t read the book, but watched the movie. I think Event Horizon might be what you’re looking for.

I’ve heard references to these sorts of stories in the 40k universe, but again I haven’t read the books.